Shelf structure



Aug. 31, 1965 v. c. SCHROEDER SHELF STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 26, 1962 I INVENTOR' United States Patent 3,203,375 SHELF STRUCTURE Victor C. Schroeder, Kalamazoo, Micln, assignor to Brunswick Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 240,017 4 Claims. (Cl. 103-148) This invention relates to shelf structures and particularly to a shelf supporting clip for use in a channel forming part of an upright shelf supporting post. The clip is readily attachable and detachable relative to the channel member without the need of tools or other means, it is adjustable vertically when attached, it is releasably and firmly held against rocking movement in vertically adjusted positions when not loaded, and is more firmly bound in position when loaded.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a new and improved shelf structure of the type described.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improved shelf supporting clip.

A more specific object is to provide a shelf supporting clip including a body having an upper shelf supporting surface, a pair of legs extending later-ally away from the shelf supporting surface and resiliently compressible toward each other, with free ends of the legs provided with means for releasably retaining the clip against rocking movement when in position in a cooperating channel member.

Another object is to provide a shelf supporting clip of resilient metal bent generally into U-shape in plan view with an upper shelf supporting plate surface and with free ends of the legs of the U terminating in upper rearwardly extending finger portions, intermediate portions having oppositely outwardly turned tabs and lower portions terminating in sharply pointed ends.

Other objects and advantages will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a shelf structure, partly broken away and partly in section, embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view illustrating in detail the new and improved shelf supporting clip associated with an upright channel member and a shelf member, with parts broken away for clearer illustration;

FIG. 3 is a top sectional view taken generally along the line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a right side elevational view of the structure illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the shelf supporting clip. 7

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein, the invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, the invention is illustrated in connection With a shelf structure which includes rectangularly spaced upright corner posts as at 10, 11, 12 and 13. The corner posts are adapted to be maintained in fixed relationship to each other as by means of a top cover member or shelf member 15 suitably secured adjacent the corners thereof to the four post members and by means of a lower shelf member as at 16 also suitably secured at the corners thereof to the lower ends of the post members. A shelf structure of the type described may, if desired, include ice a back closure panel (not illustrated), one or more front closure panels (not illustrated), and end closure panels as illustrated at 17.

The shelf structure, or case structure, as it may be described if closure panels are provided as mentioned above, also preferably includes one or more intermediate shelf members such as that illustrated at 20, only one being shown here in order to simplify the disclosure. According to the present invention, the shelf member 20 is generally rectangular and is adapted to be supported adjacent the four corners thereof on shelf supporting clips generally designated 21, one mounted in association with each of the upright posts.

In order to facilitate the mounting of the clips to each of the posts, each post includes a vertically elongate clip mounting channel here illustrated in the form of an extruded aluminum member formed with spaced oppositely facing, back to back channel portions 22 joined by a web 23 facilitating attachment to the post as by machine screws 25. Referring particularly to FIG. 3 it will be understood that the channel member 22 is approximately C-shaped in cross section with approximately rectangular corners and includes a laterally inwardly facing vertically elongate opening 26.

Each of the shelf supporting clips 21 in its preferred embodiment comprises a body of spring steel bent generally into U-shape in plan view with parallel legs 28 connected at one end by a crosspiece 29 defining a bight portion of the U. Extending rearwardly from the crosspiece 29 and above adjacent portions of the legs 28 is an upper shelf supporting plate surface as at 30. Rearwardly of the plate the remaining portions of legs 28 are. recessed downwardly as at 31 and extend rearwardly and generally parallel to each other toward free ends which are resiliently compressible toward each other.

At the free ends, the legs include upper generally parallel finger portions 32 extending rearwardly to generally vertical surfaces 32a adjacent to a back wall surface 32b of the channel, and preferably slightly spaced from this surface when operatively positioned as illustrated in the drawings, on the-order of about .030 inch, for example. The leg free ends also include intermediate portions terminating in oppositely laterally outwardly turned tabs 33. Lower portions of the legs terminate in downwardly inclined portions 34 having free end abutments in the form of sharp points.

In use, a slip as at 21 is adapted to be easily held by hand in a manner such that the leg members 28 may be compressed toward each other to an extent facilitating insertion of the free ends of the legs, including portions 32, 33 and 34, into the channel member 22 through the opening 26 therein; Once the end portionsare inside the channel member, release of the legs allows the latter to spring outwardly against the channel member, portions 32, 32a, 33 and 34 cooperating with the channel member to releasably retain the clip in the postion in which it was placed. Surfaces 32a effectively prevent significant counterclockwise (FIG. 2) rocking movement of the clip. By virtue of the clearance between surfaces 32a and the channel, the clip may be readily adjusted vertically in the channel member by compressing the legs 28 toward each other and sliding the clip vertically. When a load is placed on the shelf supporting surface 30, as by mounting a shelf 20, and particularly when a load is placed on the shelf member, the clip tends to pivot clockwise (FIG. 2) in the channel, with the tabs 33 bearing against the inside of the channel portion at opposite sides of the opening 26, and the pointed ends 34 digging into the extruded aluminum of back wall 32b in order to prevent displacement of the clip in the chan nel. The recessed upper surfaces 31 of the leg members 28 and the raised shelf supporting plate surface 30 permit the load to be imposed on the clip at the bight end thereof remote from the free leg ends, thereby more effectively avoiding forces tending to tip the clip in such manner to disengage ends 34. Such imposition of load applies a positive force binding the clip in the channel.

It will be appreciated that the supporting clip disclosed, while illustrated in connection with shelving, may be utilized for supporting other items as well.

I claim:

1. A shelf structure, comprising; upright posts respectively at four corners of a rectangular shelf area; means connecting the posts for maintaining the latter in fixed relationship to each other, each post including a laterally inwardly opening, vertically elongate channel portion of C-shaped cross section; a shelf supporting clip for each channel portion, each cli including a body of resilient material of generally U-shape in plan view, said body having a bight portion and extending therefrom in the same general direction, an upper shelf supporting plate and generally parallel legs below said plate, said legs having free ends resiliently compressible toward each other, the free ends of the legs of each clip projecting into the associated channel opening and having oppositely outwardly turned portions releasably latched within the channel portion at opposite sides of the opening, and below the last said portions said free ends having other portions terminating respectively in pointed ends engaging and adapted to dig into the channel back opposite the opening when a load is placed on the shelf supporting surface to resist pivotal movement of said clip in a first direction, and above the outwardly turned portions, said free ends having elongate fingers terminating adjacent said channel back for effectively retaining the clip in normal shelf supporting positions and for resisting pivotal movement of said clip in a direction opposite to said first direction, the clip being retained in position in the channel by resilience of the clip when not loaded, and being vertically adjustable in the channel upon manual compression of the free ends of the legs thereof toward each other reducing the retentive effect, and being removable from the channel opening upon compression of the free ends to clear the opening; and a shelf member having four corner portions resting respectively on the shelf supporting surfaces of the clips.

2. A shelf structure comprising; a vertically elongate, laterally opening channel member of C-shaped cross section; a shelf supporting clip removably and vertically adjustably associated with said channel member and having a body of resilient material of generally U-shape in plan view, said body having an upper shelf supporting surface and generally parallel legs with free ends resiliently compressible toward each other, the free ends of the legs being positioned in said channel and having oppositely outwardly turned portions engaging channel portions at opposite sides of the opening and other portions terminating in sharply pointed lower ends engaging and adapted to dig into a channel back opposite the opening when a load is placed on the shelf supporting surface, thereby to retain the clip in place under load, and said free ends having surface means generally parallel to and spaced slightly from said channel back, said lower ends and said surface means cooperating to prevent rocking of said clip in opposite directions vertically in said channel member.

3. A support clip comprising; a body of resilient metal bent generally into U-shape in plan view, with generally parallel legs of the U extending generally horizontally and being resiliently compressible toward each other, said body having an upper shelf supporting surface extending from a bight at a front of the U remote from free ends of said legs, said free ends having oppositely outwardly turned tabs and below said tabs having portions tapering diminishingly downwardly to sharply pointed free end abutments, said free ends each having a rearwardly extending elongate finger above the tab thereon, and said fingers each terminating slightly short of said free end abutments and each finger having surface means normal to the length thereof.

4. A shelf support for use with a vertically elongate laterally opening channel member, comprising; a body having an upper shelf supporting surface and a pair of spaced legs extending generally horizontally and rearwardly from the shelf supporting surface, the free ends of the legs being positionable in the channel opening and including upper rearwardly facing abutment means adapted to engage a back of the channel member opposite the opening therein and oppositely outwardly turned means to bear against an inside of channel portions at opposite sides of the opening in the channel, and having lower end means to bear against said back, said lower end means and said rearwardly facing abutment means cooperating to prevent vertical rocking of said body in opposite directions in said channel member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 958,079 2/ 11 Venard 248--246 1,276,677 8/18 Mittleburg 248-246 1,303,148 5/19 Areson 248-246 1,615,338 1/27 Moser 248246 X 2,534,952 12/50 Comer 248-243 2,674,431 4/54 Attwood 248-243 2,845,187 7/58 Bianchi 108-144 2,902,242 9/59 Bergstrom 248244 3,088,424 5/ 63 Kenuth 108-108 References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,125,970 3/64 Schneider.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SHELF STRUCTURE, COMPRISING; UPRIGHT POSTS RESPECTIVELY AT FOUR CORNERS OF A RECTANGULAR SHELF AREA; MEANS CONNECTING THE POSTS FOR MAINTAINING THE LATTER IN FIXED RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER, EACH POST INCLUDING A LATERALLY INWARDLY OPENING, VERTICALLY ELONGATE CHANNEL PORTION OF C-SHAPED CROSS-SECTION; A SHELF SUPPORTING CLIP FOR EACH CHANNEL PORTION, EACH CLIP INCLUDNG A BODY OF RESILIENT MATERIAL OF GENERALLY U-SHAPE IN PLANE VIEW, SAID BODY HAVING A BIGHT PORTION AND EXTENDING THEREFROM IN THE SAME GENERAL DIRECTION, AN UPPER SHELF SUPPORTING PLATE AND GENREALLY PARALLEL LEGS BELOW SAID PLATE, SAID LEGS HAVING FREE ENDS RESILIENTLY COMPRESSIBLE TOWARD EACH OTHER, THE FREE ENDS OF THE LEGS OF EACH CLIP PROJECTING INTO THE ASSOCIATED CHANNEL OPENING AND HAVING OPPOSITELY OUTWARDLY TURNED PORTIONS RELEASABLY LATCHED WITHIN THE CHANNEL PORTION AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE OPENING, AND BELOW THE LAST SAID PORTIONS SAID FREE ENDS HAVING OTHER PORTIONS TERMINATNG RESPECTIVELY IN POINTED ENDS ENGAGING AND ADAPTED TO DIG INTO THE CHANNEL BACK OPPOSITE THE OPENING WHEN A LOAD IS PLACED ONTHE SHELF SUPPORTING SURFACE TO RESIST PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID CLIP IN A FIRST DIRECTION, AND ABOVE THE OUTWARDLY TURNED PORTIONS, SAID FREE ENDS HAVING ELONGATE FINGERS TERMINATING ADJACENT SAID CHANNEL BACK FOR EFFECTIVELY RETAINING THE CLIP IN NORMAL SHELF SUPPORTING POSITIONS AND FOR RESISTING PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF THE CLIP BEING RETAINED IN POSITION IN THE FIRST DIRECTION, THE CLIP BEING RETAINED IN POSITION IN THE CHANNEL BY RESILIENCE OF THE CLIP WHEN NOT LOADED, AND BEING VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE IN THE CHANNEL UPON MANUAL COMPRESSION OF THE FREE ENDS OF THE LEGS THEREOF TOWARD EACH OTHER REDUCING THE RETENTIVE EFFECT, AND BEING REMOVABLE FROM THE CHANNEL OPENING UPON COMPRESSION OF THE FREE ENDS TO THE CLEAR THE OPENING; AND A SHELF BER HAVING FOUR CORNER PORTIONS RESTING RESPECTIVELY ON THE SHELF SUPPORTING SURFACES OF THE CLIPS. 